We always enjoy fresh berries when they’re in abundance during the summer – especially strawberries and blueberries. Often, we’ll eat them as is or with yogurt. But when you get a batch that isn’t quite up to snuff (or in the rare cases where you don’t eat them as quickly as you intend to) that’s a good chance to bake with berries. Sometimes I even freeze some to use throughout the year. So even when the calendar says fall or winter, I can hold off on baking with apple and pumpkin and opt for a summer treat. This blueberry buckle coffee cake recipe is one of my all-time favorites.
The recipe is a little something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. The recipe itself is an old family favorite that I have borrowed (and tweaked a bit) from my Mom. What’s new is that it’s the first recipe I ever blogged about. The blueberries are, obviously, the something blue.
Blueberry Buckle is a Family Favorite
This blueberry buckle is the one we used to love as kids. Then, when I was a grad student in DC and would come home for a family summer vacation, Mom would often bake it to take with us on our trip. Finally, I started making it on my own. It always comes out nicely.
You could eat it for breakfast, with tea or coffee, or as a dessert. For me, I love it on a holiday weekend for breakfast with a nice cold glass of milk. It is great eaten warm, but just as good at room temperature. If you manage to keep it around more than a day or two, you might want to refrigerate it, as it does get moist.

Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the crumb topping:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 egg beaten lightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen—if frozen, do not thaw
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 degrees if using dark metal pan)
- Make the crumb topping by cutting the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or fork. The mixture will be coarse. Set aside.
- Begin making the cake batter by creaming the butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and blend until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and milk and blend until mixed.
- In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt).
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until just combined.
- Fold in blueberries.
- Pour the batter into a well-greased 9-inch square cake pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. (If using a dark metal pan, start checking at 30 to 35 minutes)
Other Berry Good Recipe Ideas
Hungry for more? Try Joanne’s Gluten-Free Black Bean and Blueberry Brownies and follow my Berries! Pinterest board!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2011 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.